416 N 2nd St, Albemarle NC 28001 | (704) 982-2910
When we are broken by sin, shattered in a million pieces, we are closer to the Lord than we could ever imagine.
It is our brokenness that draws Him close.
It is our heartfelt confession that lets Him in.
It is our heart completely undone, solely in need of God to be made whole that receives His grace, that knows His forgiveness, that becomes whole in His hands, held tightly together by His mercy and love.~
~Stacy L. Sanchez / Heartprints of God
Several years ago, as I sat in Children’s Church, surrounded by precious little hearts, we talked about our world and the all too often missing ingredient, kindness.
We talked about bullies and what it feels like to live in a world where kindness is hard to find.
“Why do you suppose people are mean?” I asked. “Why are there bullies?”
Without thinking twice, a five year old girl blurted out, “Maybe their bucket is empty.”
“Their bucket is empty?” I inquired further.
“Yes. Maybe they are mean because they ran out of nice. Maybe their bucket is empty.”
It made perfect sense.
We can’t give away something we don’t have. And I wondered, right there and then, in the midst of these precious little faces, how many Christians are trying to make their way through life with empty buckets?
So often, we dart right out into life without first sitting at the feet of our Savior and filling up on His goodness, before communing first with the Holy Spirit and partaking of His sweetness, before allowing the Holy Spirit to fill us to overflowing. All too often, we yield to our natural inclinations because our spiritual buckets are empty. When conflicts arise, when relationships push us to a place of response, when life squeezes us until we react, we reach into self and the only thing we can pull out is the fruit of self.
Instead of love, hate.
Instead of joy, despair.
Instead of peace, strife.
Instead of patience, agitation.
Instead of kindness, animosity.
Instead of goodness, corruption.
Instead of faithfulness, disregard.
Instead of gentleness, harshness.
Instead of self-control, self rules.
No wonder the world has a hard time seeing Christians as Christ-like.
No wonder the world has a hard time seeing Christ in Christians.
When our reaction is anything but Christ-like, very likely, our bucket is empty.
As you look back on the past few hours, past few days, past few weeks of your life, what kind of fruit do you see?
If it isn’t the fruit of the Spirit, maybe your bucket is empty.~
~Stacy L. Sanchez / Heartprints of God
Concluding our focus on St. Joseph, we reflect on the quiet but powerful transition of Mary’s care from St. Joseph to Jesus in the cc. God’s constant provision for Mary is evident as we see how Jesus steps into his role as protector and provider for his mother. The reflection is anchored in a 17th-century painting of The Finding in the Temple, located at St. Nicholas Church in Brussels. Fr. Mark-Mary reminds us that even when God’s plan requires letting go, His attentive love never leaves us abandoned. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Finding of Jesus in the Temple and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.
https://www.youtube.com/@TheRosaryinaYear
We pray for God to make us stronger, to grow our faith, to deepen our walk with Him.
As we say our “Amen” and step out into life, more times than not, we are caught off guard by what is almost inevitably coming next – temptation, trials, suffering, hardship, disappointment, grief.
As much as we love “easy”, God in His infinite wisdom, merciful favor, and unfathomable love, knows the only way we will grow in our faith is to come face to face with that which builds our spiritual strength.
Easy doesn’t require faith.
Easy doesn’t build spiritual muscles.
Easy doesn’t draw us deeper into relationship with God.
It is in the hard times that we learn to depend upon our God and discover He is dependable.
It is in the hard times that our faith reaches with everything it has deep into the heart of God and there discovers everything it needs.
It is in the hard times, when we have nothing else, that we come to discover God is more than enough.
We pray for God to make us stronger, to grow our faith, to deepen our walk with Him.
When God, in His infinite wisdom, merciful favor, and unfathomable love, answers our prayer, may we not murmur, complain, resent or rebel.
May we instead, embrace His gracious gift and discover what is inevitably coming next – spiritual strength, a deeper faith, a closer walk with our God.~
~Stacy L. Sanchez / Heartprints of God
We continue our series focusing on St. Joseph’s presence with the Presentation in the Temple. In today’s art, we see Joseph offering the turtle doves, artistically representing what also is happening interiorly, Fr. Mark-Mary says. St. Joseph’s heart was surely sorrowful when Simeon prophesied that a sword would pierce Mary’s heart, and yet he said yes to the Father alongside her. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Presentation in the Temple and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.
https://www.youtube.com/@TheRosaryinaYear
If St. Joseph had not been present at the Nativity, could the adoration of the shepherds have happened? Fr. Mark-Mary continues our focus on St. Joseph’s role, highlighting the goodness of God in bringing Mary and Joseph together to raise the Savior. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Nativity and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.
https://www.youtube.com/@TheRosaryinaYear
Mary was not the only one who received an angelic visitor. Joseph too was directed by an angel to take Mary, his wife, into his home. Fr. Mark-Mary, meditating on Joseph’s presence at the Visitation, shares this as an example of God’s providential care towards Mary and towards all his children. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Visitation and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.
https://www.youtube.com/@TheRosaryinaYear
